Mimouille
Headphoneus Supremus
I am friends with the boss
flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)
I would concur with IE800S...I have no fatigue with them
Some initial impressions on the Phantom, have only (frustratingly) been able to listen to it for about 2 hrs since I received it.
As others have mentioned, this isn't an IEM that blows you away within the first 30 seconds, like the Legend X or Vega with their awesome Bass.
At first listen I thought, oh, OK cool this sounds pretty great! Everything seemed to be where it should be and in the right quantity. And in addition to my settling to their sound, I was also getting used to using a CIEM for the first time, so those distractions were in place. Fiddling around with the fit, and once I did get the right fit, continually thinking how incredibly comfortable and isolating they are. I can count myself amongst those who shall not go back to universals if possible (on that note - those who live in NYC should visit Dr Dominick Servedio - only $60 for impressions which is half the cost of most other places here. Fiendly guy and an audiophile himself. Very experienced as well).
Then last night I sat with some Scotch and let myself sink in to the Phantom some more. After a few tracks and continually getting more immersed into the music, the music started taking shape before me. It happens with other IEMs too but this type of imaging is more visceral, 3D, and lifelike than anything I've heard before. The sound produced by certain high bells that would usually just bring some sparkle to the track in other IEMs, literally bent and swirled around the bell to bring it's image to life. (And no, I wasn't smoking or doing anything else to make me hallucinate lol). But it wasn't just an image - it was truly tactile. The bell was THERE.
Imaging has such a holographic, 3D and lifelike presentation that it doesn't feel lifelike - the music literally is alive and breathing and in the most vivid yet natural and organic way possible. Vocals had such a realism to them that it literally felt like I was the one producing them. And that's with a female singer. And I am a horrible singer.
Such a presentation wouldn't be possible with a boost in bass or treble to accentuate this or that. But rather everything is in the perfect quantity and quality and all working together so seamlessly in an incredible balance that you have no choice but to forget about the Phantom's performance, and instead yoy let it show you how it is that music was meant to be heard. And no, not that statement often made where "it's how the artist intended you to hear it". But it is more like the way in which music itself wants to be presented. It's a fine line but an important one that I may not be describing well. I often felt like it was a wise master luring me deeper into the track with a smirk on his face to show me how it was truly meant to sound.
I threw a variety of genres at it, some electric (Bonobo, Bot'Ox), vocal-oriented (Sylvan Esso, Emiliana Torrini, Maggie Rogers - Alaska (acoustic)), rock (Queens of the Stone Age), classical (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Debussy), and it handled it all with aplomb.
Sure, it's a cliche to say you rediscover music with certain IEMs. Vega did that, Fourte did that, but with each one you know you're getting a certain kind of presentation and thus a certain kind of rediscovery. With Vega it's an insanely energetic one with bass that'll blow your skull open. With Fourte it was a treble and clarity that took you to outer space and beyond. With the Phantom, it feels like you get to the true soul and foundation of the music. Utterly real, living, breathing, and tactile, in the most organic way possible.
Can't wait to continue to discover the Phantom.
TL;DR: Only listened to it for about 2 hours, but it just might be perfect.
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davidmolliere
Headphoneus Supremus
I haven’t experienced fatigue either with the IE800S (contrary to IE800) but probably depends on the source too...
Some initial impressions on the Phantom, have only (frustratingly) been able to listen to it for about 2 hrs since I received it.
As others have mentioned, this isn't an IEM that blows you away within the first 30 seconds, like the Legend X or Vega with their awesome Bass.
At first listen I thought, oh, OK cool this sounds pretty great! Everything seemed to be where it should be and in the right quantity. And in addition to my settling to their sound, I was also getting used to using a CIEM for the first time, so those distractions were in place. Fiddling around with the fit, and once I did get the right fit, continually thinking how incredibly comfortable and isolating they are. I can count myself amongst those who shall not go back to universals if possible (on that note - those who live in NYC should visit Dr Dominick Servedio - only $60 for impressions which is half the cost of most other places here. Fiendly guy and an audiophile himself. Very experienced as well).
Then last night I sat with some Scotch and let myself sink in to the Phantom some more. After a few tracks and continually getting more immersed into the music, the music started taking shape before me. It happens with other IEMs too but this type of imaging is more visceral, 3D, and lifelike than anything I've heard before. The sound produced by certain high bells that would usually just bring some sparkle to the track in other IEMs, literally bent and swirled around the bell to bring it's image to life. (And no, I wasn't smoking or doing anything else to make me hallucinate lol). But it wasn't just an image - it was truly tactile. The bell was THERE.
Imaging has such a holographic, 3D and lifelike presentation that it doesn't feel lifelike - the music literally is alive and breathing and in the most vivid yet natural and organic way possible. Vocals had such a realism to them that it literally felt like I was the one producing them. And that's with a female singer. And I am a horrible singer.
Such a presentation wouldn't be possible with a boost in bass or treble to accentuate this or that. But rather everything is in the perfect quantity and quality and all working together so seamlessly in an incredible balance that you have no choice but to forget about the Phantom's performance, and instead yoy let it show you how it is that music was meant to be heard. And no, not that statement often made where "it's how the artist intended you to hear it". But it is more like the way in which music itself wants to be presented. It's a fine line but an important one that I may not be describing well. I often felt like it was a wise master luring me deeper into the track with a smirk on his face to show me how it was truly meant to sound.
I threw a variety of genres at it, some electric (Bonobo, Bot'Ox), vocal-oriented (Sylvan Esso, Emiliana Torrini, Maggie Rogers - Alaska (acoustic)), rock (Queens of the Stone Age), classical (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Debussy), and it handled it all with aplomb.
Sure, it's a cliche to say you rediscover music with certain IEMs. Vega did that, Fourte did that, but with each one you know you're getting a certain kind of presentation and thus a certain kind of rediscovery. With Vega it's an insanely energetic one with bass that'll blow your skull open. With Fourte it was a treble and clarity that took you to outer space and beyond. With the Phantom, it feels like you get to the true soul and foundation of the music. Utterly real, living, breathing, and tactile, in the most organic way possible.
Can't wait to continue to discover the Phantom.
TL;DR: Only listened to it for about 2 hours, but it just might be perfect.
Amen, brother. Exactly how I heard it myself.
SeeSax
Headphoneus Supremus
Hey there my friend. Have you heard the S-EM9 as well? Is the EM10 an evolution of that or a different sound signature? EM9 remains one of my favorite IEMs, so I was very excited about the EM10 (and then Earsonics crushed my hopes and dreams by making it custom-only).
Hope all's well!
-Collin-
Mimouille
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah, I had the same thing. The EM10 sounded really interesting until they were revealed to be custom only. I really need to remember to demo some Earsonics models at Canjam London. I forgot to do that at the Indulgence show last year and am still kicking myself for it.
I remember that Nic compared the two in his review of the EM10. You might have seen already, but just in case:
http://theheadphonelist.com/earsonics-em10/
Get. Friggin’. Hyped.
WHAT!
Can one just get one day to be happy to have the latest
(since, if anyone wonders, that's the ultimate goal of life) 
I'm a bit afraid to think about the price...
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WHAT!No!!!!
Can one just get one day to be happy to have the latest
I'm a bit afraid to think about the price...
Considering VE’s pricing tendencies, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Get. Friggin’. Hyped.
By the way, I just received word on Instagram that this IEM will be universal only.
By the way, I just received word on Instagram that this IEM will be universal only.
The shell looks really interesting.
on facebook there is a video showing the main features of this new iem, really cool!
https://www.facebook.com/visionears.de/videos/943965735768507/
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